The case of Xylella Fastidiosa: alternative woody plants for the renewal of Salento (Italy) agriculture and landscape

In less than 10 years an epidemic of Xylella fastidiosa interested 3 provinces in Salento (Puglia, Italy) devastating the landscape, the local olive oil industry, causing huge economic/environmental damages and raising the need to renew and partially substitute the olive woody tree coverage. In a larger project funded to DAJS, in order to increase the biodiversity/resilience of the future agro-ecosystem, the present research is aimed to study the traits of woody crops/species able to flank olive in agricultural regeneration/reconversion in term of pedoclimatic/agronomic requirements, market potential, plant protection needs and investments. A list of about 80 plants, classifiable in present at small scale, totally new or cultivated in the past in Salento, were selected by specific criteria studying the main conditions and limiting factors (climate, pedology, farm's structure, economic/organizational, phytosanitary factors) and particularly the capacity to co-exist with the bacterium in the whole infected area. In a circular economy perspective, particular attention was paid to the contrast to climate changes considering new agricultural products, new uses and by-products with high value as well as sustainable low inputs crops. The information will be available as a "reasoned catalogue" that draws data/info from bibliography, specialist consulting and small farming experiences. For the species not present in Salento, pathogenicity tests for 12 species, by controlled artificial/vector inoculation and qPCR analyses, are in progress to verify their immunity/resistance. The results are addressed to producers/technicians to guide investments or pilot field trials as well to policy makers to plan strategies and funding measures.